They fly at altitudes, eight times higher than the tallest building in the world. Ruddy shelducks are duck-like birds that boldly fly where no duck has flown before.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/P. Mathema
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Stricktly speaking, ruddy shelducks aren't really ducks but duck-like waterfowls. They share characteristics of both ducks and geese. That means, they live on the water's edge and tip over in the water like ducks do, yet they also feed on grass like geese. They look very similar to ducks, but are slightly larger and have longer legs.
6,800 meters high
In their role as ducks, they have done incredible things. Or maybe they have always done them except that science didn't take notice until now. However, with the help of satellite tracking a team from the University of Exeter has determined that ruddy shelducks fly as high as 6,800 meters (about 22,000 feet), allowing them to fly across some of the highest mountains in the world in the Himalayas.
They don't fly over the peaks of the highest mountains of the massif (then again, why would they), but still they flap their wings at elevations eight times higher than the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa (830 meters). The high jumping world record in humans is, by the way, at laughable 2.45 meters.
Special in many ways
Not only is their maximum cruising altitude remarkable. The animals, which originate in Asia, have quite a bit of experience with the thin mountain air as they breed on plateaus that are as high as 5000 meters.
Another unusual trait that distinguishes them from their relatives is that the birds like to lay their eggs in caves. Some of them use rock caves, or move into abandoned foxholes to raise their young.
The courtship is also an event in itself. The males try to impress their chosen ones by nosediving through the air while emitting a variety of noisy screams. The most characteristic sound they make, however, a nasal trumpet tone. If a Ruddy shelduck has chosen a partner, it's a relationship that's meant to last as the birds are monogamous.
Image: picture-alliance/T. Muncke
High(est) flying birds
Some birds fly higher than others. Here's a collection of the undaunted heroes of air travel - a few of these birds even almost reach the air lanes of planes.
Image: Imago
Rüppell's vulture: 11,300 metres (37,100 feet)
Vultures usually don't travel long distances, instead, they rise to expand their field of vision. Their excellent eyesight allows the critically endangered species to scan the landscape below from a relatively static aerial position.
Image: Imago
Common crane: 10,000 metres (33,000 feet)
The Common crane is a long distance migrant. Important staging areas exist anywhere from Sweden and Germany to China. The height stated here was recorded above the Himalayas.
Image: picture-alliance/blickwinkel
Bar-headed goose: 8,800 metres (29,000 feet)
The birds also fly over the peaks of the Himalayas on their migratory path. Studies have found that they breathe more deeply and efficiently under low oxygen conditions.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Whooper swan: 8,200 metres (27,000 feet)
The Whooper swan is the Eurasian counterpart of the North American trumpeter swan. It's also the national bird of Finland, featured on the country's 1 euro coin.
Image: picture-alliance/blickwinkel
Alpine chough: 8,000 metres (26,500 feet)
These birds are able to breed in high mountain areas because their eggs have less pores than those of lowland species and don't try out as quickly. The bird's embryos also seem to be genetically predisposed to absorbing particularly large amounts of oxygen.
Bearded vultures are listed as 'near threatened' by the IUCN. And you had better not hunt them, because according to Iranian mythology the birds are a symbol of luck and happiness. Whoever shoots one is supposed to die within forty days.
Image: imago/Hohlfeld
Ruddy shelducks: 6,800 metres (22,000 feet)
It was just discovered that these duck-like waterfowls are among the world's highest flying birds. Like many others on this list, they cross the Himalayas to get to their breeding grounds.